Controversy: Is the SLS AMG faster than the 458 Italia stock for stock?

A debate has been raging on the BenzBoost forums and we decided it was finally time to put together information on these two cars to help sort out the video below. There are three races and the SLS gets the jump in the first two. In the first race the SLS is lined up ahead and gets on the gas first pulling. In the second video a mix-up in the honks has the SLS jump again leading the 458 to have to run it down which it can not. The third race is the cleanest with the SLS still pulling away and rather quickly.

Now, this has led to people from each side yelling and screaming at each other. Here is what we know, the SLS dyno's more on a dynojet stock. There are variables involved of course but based on the graphs we have thus far the 458 baselines around 450 wheel and the SLS around 488 wheel. Advantage, SLS.

This may help explain why the 458 Italia gets a better elapsed time in the 1/4 mile versus the SLS stock for stock. It's rear engine launch is also a large factor helping it get off the line better. Going back to Road and Track, the numbers are 11.0@128.5 versus 11.6@124.3 for the Italia and SLS respectively. 0-120 numbers favor the Italia by 1.2 second stock for stock, not a small difference.

Shift speed has been stated to favor the 458 with the SLS at 100ms to its 40ms. This disparity seems too large for the same technology from the same supplier, Getrag. As a matter of fact, they are basically the same unit. So is there really that large of a disparity here? We don't think so.

So how do you explain the outcome of the video? The only explanation is that the SLS is not stock. Logically, this is the only conclusion one can reach to explain how the SLS leaves the 458 the way it does. The weight is not as large of a factor once the cars are moving but even so we should see the 458 slowly pull not the SLS jumping out and destroying the 458. A stock SLS simply is not capable of it based on the data presented here. The stock claims are likely misleading and for SLS owners to boast. This is why we prefer track numbers for support but even without them a video can still be broken down. If we are incorrect, someone do this same race with two stock cars and prove us wrong. One thing is certain, both are fast cars and examples of some of the best vehicles available today.

Good video, but definitely very strange results (at least to what I've seen here in the U.S.)

February of last year, I attended a private 1/4 mile track rental where we had 1 SLS and 3 458 Italia's that were all bone stock, and the best the SLS could do was 11.78 @ 124 mph while one of the 458 Italia's hit 11.0 @ 127 mph and the other one running a little slower at 11.3 to 11.4 @ 128 mph.

Good video, but definitely very strange results (at least to what I've seen here in the U.S.)

February of last year, I attended a private 1/4 mile track rental where we had 1 SLS and 3 458 Italia's that were all bone stock, and the best the SLS could do was 11.78 @ 124 mph while one of the 458 Italia's hit 11.0 @ 127 mph and the other one running a little slower at 11.3 to 11.4 @ 128 mph.

I'm glad the SLS is becoming a threat out there though....

I would like to say that in a 1/4 mile drag race the Ferrari 458 will beat the SLS. From zero acceleration the ferrari has a better launch. But from roll on everything starts to change.

11.78 sounds not right to me though. Maybe that driver doesn't know how to launch the SLS properly

Yesterday i went out and did some 60-130's though i hate that game. It was just because to show some people on Ferrari forum some before/after runs with Akrapovic exhaust. With a mix of 100 and 91, (I think around 95 octane) i managed to pull 7,9-8.04 times from the device. Considering that i the altitude was close to 1500 meters from sea level and the car just has 80 km's on it, i believe quicker times can be achieved at lower altitude. I searched and couldn't find anything except a 8.04.

Now when i compare the data with the video, i don't something reasonable

Yesterday i went out and did some 60-130's though i hate that game. It was just because to show some people on Ferrari forum some before/after runs with Akrapovic exhaust. With a mix of 100 and 91, (I think around 95 octane) i managed to pull 7,9-8.04 times from the device. Considering that i the altitude was close to 1500 meters from sea level and the car just has 80 km's on it, i believe quicker times can be achieved at lower altitude. I searched and couldn't find anything except a 8.04.

Now when i compare the data with the video, i don't something reasonable

If we are talking about the 458 that i know which did it in dead 11.0, it's stock. That car has both fastest (132 mph) and quickest (11.0 seconds) record for a stock 458.
BTW there are not much tuning options for 458 still though

If we are talking about the 458 that i know which did it in dead 11.0, it's stock. That car has both fastest (132 mph) and quickest (11.0 seconds) record for a stock 458.

I'm not going to argue with you any furthur in this matter. I know what I am talking about. We have our own Ferrari 458 and we ran it against our own SLS when it was completely stock. The SLS overtook it on all runs. If you say you have a 458, go out and look for a stock SLS and race him from 2nd gear roll on 60 km/hr and you will know what I am talking about.
and just for your info my brother raced a tuned Ferrari 458 runing with ECU+ Capristo Exhust and he violently killed it

Originally Posted by Sorena

BTW there are not much tuning options for 458 still though

Yes there are, If you are serious, PM me and I will give you some good options. Jimmy Pelka from PP-Performance has a vicious tune for the 458 Italia

Strange. There was no sig pic before. Probably it's from my side, it's not the first that my lap top doesn't show sig pics.

Originally Posted by Jacob502

I'm not going to argue with you any furthur in this matter. I know what I am talking about. We have our own Ferrari 458 and we ran it against our own SLS when it was completely stock. The SLS overtook it on all runs. If you say you have a 458, go out and look for a stock SLS and race him from 2nd gear roll on 60 km/hr and you will know what I am talking about.
and just for your info my brother raced a tuned Ferrari 458 runing with ECU+ Capristo Exhust and he violently killed it

No one is arguing here. It's all good.

Originally Posted by Jacob502

Yes there are, If you are serious, PM me and I will give you some good options. Jimmy Pelka from PP-Performance has a vicious tune for the 458 Italia

I know whom you are referring to. I really don't trust any tuners in ME. You know better than me that there are some scumbags here stealing money from people. With that being said, i'll probably visit him as i'm in Abu Dhabi right now.

And what my SLS is only around 640-650hp. I think most of Ferrari numbers are fake. Even their timeslips. I think they pay to TopGear, MotorTrend and others just to show that their cars are faster. What I see and others see at street racing is different from those magazines.

If you say you have a 458, go out and look for a stock SLS and race him from 2nd gear roll on 60 km/hr and you will know what I am talking about.

i'm not sure why you have to name the gear to race in, why not just name the speed? see from the OP video, it looked like the ferrari was in its midrange, as was the merc. the merc's torque will kill it. displacement. in the video FR305 posted, the ferrari was in its higher rev range, where it's most potent, as was audible. the jag still took it initially either by jump or torque but the ferrari's top end hp and gearing won the race. hey i don't want to start an argument, your race may have gone the way you explained, i'm just putting a and b together.

i'm not sure why you have to name the gear to race in, why not just name the speed? see from the OP video, it looked like the ferrari was in its midrange, as was the merc. the merc's torque will kill it. displacement. in the video FR305 posted, the ferrari was in its higher rev range, where it's most potent, as was audible. the jag still took it initially either by jump or torque but the ferrari's top end hp and gearing won the race. hey i don't want to start an argument, your race may have gone the way you explained, i'm just putting a and b together.

what we really mean is roll on race from 60 km/hr. You could put the gear in the appropriate shift, usually it is second gear from 60 km/hr.